6 Steps for Setting The Mood on Valentine’s Day

I gave you some suggestions for going out to eat, then I wrote about where to find local chocolate. Well, today I have one more recommendation for you. Maricela Yee curates monthly boxes of popcorn, jam and other surprises made by local artisanal foodmakers for her business, Little Shop Artisan Box. This month’s box has an Aphrodisiac theme and she dropped one off so I could check it out. All in the name of research, right? This order makes sense to me, but you should definitely go with the flow and make adjustments as necessary.

1. “The Love Elixir”- D. Edward (Oakland)

Definitely start with the CD. One song is kind of upbeat and the others are sexy smooth.

2. Hot Almond Hearts, The Oakland Chocolate Co.

Next, nibble of one of the Hot Hearts. The aggressive heat from the chipotle pepper hits you first, and then the 70% Jamaican Cacao tames the fire. These will definitely wake you up!

3. Hot Chocolate Toffee, Fare and Square (Oakland)

Take a sip of water then move on to the toffee. You’ll notice the crunch and the beautiful pairing of chocolate and caramel first. Then, a subtle heat from the chipotle will appear. I don’t eat peanuts, but if I did, this one would be my favorite.

4. Fig and Anise Chocolate bar, Vice Chocolates (Oakland)

Take another sip of water and unwrap the chocolate bar. The ingredients might sound weird, but just go with it. The flavors work together perfectly and the textures are crazy (in a good way). It’s kind of crunchy, crispy and chewy, but not all at the same time. Take your time with this one. It will probably blow your mind.

There are four boozy bon bons (Raspberry Lime Chambord, Bourbon, Cabernet and Dark Port) in a little box but they aren’t labeled. That’s where the fun comes in. Take a bite, feed the rest to your sweetie and try to guess the flavor.

6. Wildflower Honey, Hive 707 (San Francisco)

The honey is the sweetest thing in the box so I saved it for last. It’s super thick and it “enhances blood levels to promote sexual desire.” So, there you go.